!@#$% Optus

xbgs351 · 05-01-2007, 08:47 PM

Just recieved a letter from Optus today. Bearing in mind that the CPI from September 05 to September 06 was 3.9%, have a look at how much more Optus is planning to charge.

Line Rental - Up by 15%
Calls to non-Optus Mobile - Up by 323% (For a 20 minute call)
Calls to Optus Mobiless - Up by 14%
National Call - Up by 25%
Flagfall - Up by 5%
Local Calls - No change

The letter also advises that to avoid a cancellation fee, you must ring an Optus number by the 7/2/07. Guess what happens when you ring that number during their advertised service hours? You get to listen to elevator music for who knows how long - I hung up after 8 minutes.

.

Van D · 05-01-2007, 08:52 PM

Ummm, is that 422% correct?

Hmmm, we're with optus.. Only cos we can't get foxtel here.

xbgs351 · 05-01-2007, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by popinfresh

Ummm, is that 422% correct?

Hmmm, we're with optus.. Only cos we can't get foxtel here.

Actually it's 323% - my bad.

It was capped at $1.75 for 20 minutes. It is now charged at 37c per minutes, so 20 minutes would cost $7.40. Capped mobile phone calls was the major reason I chose the phone plan way back in October 2006.

Van D · 05-01-2007, 09:08 PM

Wow, that's a mighty increase.. I'll look into our stuff =/

fordel · 05-01-2007, 10:19 PM

So ring up and cancel

If you want to cancel wait on hold simple as that...

Lukeyson · 05-01-2007, 10:21 PM

i was thinking of going to optus, but i think i will drop them all, get wireless broadband and use VOIP.

Yellow_Festiva · 05-01-2007, 10:47 PM

yeah, i review things like mobile and house phone as well as internet every 3-4 months. i dont lock into any contracts and im always after the best deal.

i use a company called simpliciti, they seem good for the moment. ther web site is VERY straight forward for getting prices, bundle discounts etc.

search and look em up is my advice...... or research the competition and change, simple as that

GK · 06-01-2007, 12:27 AM

I just checked their site, but their deals don't appear too great. I agree with the information being simple to get though!

http://www.simpliciti.com.au/

Cheers,

GK

Laminge · 06-01-2007, 12:40 AM

http://www.whirlpool.net.au/

one of the better sites to check out and make some informed decisions on what is available

robjh80 · 06-01-2007, 08:37 AM

This is an Actual Complaint Letter Received at Optus

Dear Cretins,

I have been an Optus customer since 9th July 2001, when I signed up for your 3-in-one deal for cable TV, cable modem, and telephone. During this three-month period I have encountered inadequacy of service which I had not previously considered possible, as well as ignorance and stupidity of monolithic proportions.

Please allow me to provide specific details, so that you can either pursue your professional perogative and seek to rectify these difficulties - or, more likely I suspect, so that you can have some entertaining reading material as you while away the working day smoking B&H and drinking vendor-coffee on the bog in your office:

My initial installation was cancelled without warning or notice, resulting in my spending an entire Saturday sitting on my fat **** waiting for your technician to arrive.

When he did not arrive at all, I spent a further 57 minutes on my mobile phone listening to your infuriating hold music, and the even more annoying Scottish robot woman telling me to look at your helpful website.... er, how exactly when my modem has been disconnected? I alleviated the boredom to some small degree by playing with my testicles for a few minutes - an activity at which you are no-doubt both familiar and highly adept.

The rescheduled installation then took place some two weeks later, although the technician did forget to bring a number of vital tools - such as a drill-bit, and his cerebrum. Two weeks later, my cable modem had still not arrived. After several further telephone calls (actually 15 telephone calls over 4 weeks) my modem arrived... a total of six weeks after I had requested it, and begun to pay for it.

I estimate that the downtime of your internet servers is roughly 35%...these are usually the hours between about 6pm and midnight, Monday to Friday, and most of the useful periods over the weekend.

I am still waiting for my telephone connection. I have made 9 telephone calls on my mobile to your no-help line this week, and have been unhelpfully transferred to a variety of disinterested individuals, who are it seems also highly skilled bollock jugglers. I have been informed that a telephone line is available (and someone will call me back); that no telephone line is available (and someone will call me back); that I will be transferred to someone who knows whether or not a
telephone line is available (and then been cut off); that I will be transferred to someone who knows whether or not a telephone line is available (and then been redirected to an answer machine informing me that your office is closed); that I will be transferred to someone who knows
whether or not a telephone line is available (and then been redirected to the irritating Scottish robot woman...and several other variations on this theme.

Doubtless you are no-longer reading this letter, as you have at least a thousand other dissatisfied customers to ignore, and also another one of those crucially important testicle-moments to attend to. Frankly I don't care, it's far more satisfying as a customer to voice my frustrations in print than to shout them at your unending hold music. Forgive me, therefore, if I continue.

I thought Telstra were sh..it, that they had attained the holy ****-pot of god-awful customer relations, that no-one, anywhere, ever, could be more disinterested, less helpful or more obstructive to delivering service to their customers. That's why I chose Optus, and because, well, there isn't anyone else is there? How surprised I therefore was, when I discovered to my considerable dissatisfaction and disappointment what a useless shower of b..astards you truly are. You are sputum-filled pieces of distended rectum - incompetents of the highest order. Telstra – w..ankers though they are - shine like brilliant beacons of success, in the filthy puss-filled mire of your seemingly limitless inadequacy.

Suffice to say that I have now given up on my futile and foolhardy quest to receive any kind of service from you. I suggest that you do likewise, and cease any potential future attempts to extort payment from me for the services which you have so pointedly and catastrophically failed to deliver - any such activity will be greeted initially with hilarity and disbelief - although these feelings will quickly be replaced by derision, and even perhaps a small measure of bemused rage.

I enclose two small deposits, selected with great care from my cats litter tray, as an expression of my utter and complete contempt for both you and your pointless company. I sincerely hope that they have not become desiccated during transit - they were satisfyingly moist at the time of
posting, and I would feel considerable disappointment if you did not experience both their rich aroma and delicate texture. Consider them the very embodiment of my feelings towards Optus, and it's worthless employees.

Have a nice day - may it be the last in your miserable short life, you irritatingly incompetent and infuriatingly unhelpful bunch of twats.

Rgds

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MoreHPformyXR6 · 06-01-2007, 09:35 AM

Surley Optus cant be as bad as Telstra (that would take a massive effort to reach that status)

xbgs351 · 06-01-2007, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordel

So ring up and cancel

If you want to cancel wait on hold simple as that...

I think I will transfer to another phone company and let the new phone company deal with Optus.

The last time that I had to deal with Optus I had to enter my details into the phone and talk to a voice recognition system, which without fail transferred me to the wrong department. After telling the new person all of my details, I would then get transferred to another department. After an extended wait if I was fortunate I would get transferred to another department that was also wrong. This time I would have to wait even longer, if I was fortunate enough to have my call answered at all. Now the new person would also require all of my details again and would promise to disconnect my existing phone and set up a new account at my new house. The process so far had taken about 3 phone calls and probably an hour and a half, but it wasn't the end of it as they never disconnected the phone, so I had to go through the whole process again.

XRchic · 06-01-2007, 12:10 PM

I thought Telstra service had improved over the last few months. I have had enormous trouble with them in the past, but the last few times they have actually been prompt and polite and even reasonably effective!

I bought a pre-paid plan for my daughters phone from Optus. Waste of time. She cant even get signal on Optus here in Mt Barker and she hardly used it.

For internet, I recommend Internode. I have just gotten ADSL2 with them, and their service is prompt and helpful... impressed very much so far. Disregarded Big Pond due to the prices really.

rayner22 · 06-01-2007, 03:45 PM

I recommend AAPT, best value and REAL customer service. Hell I should know, I sell phones for a living. Even as an Optus dealer, they have US on hold for at least half an hour to do a new connection for a customers mobile.

xbgs351 · 06-01-2007, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rayner22

I recommend AAPT, best value and REAL customer service. Hell I should know, I sell phones for a living. Even as an Optus dealer, they have US on hold for at least half an hour to do a new connection for a customers mobile.

I just signed up with AAPT. I only had to speak to one person and he was a real live Australian!

robjh80 · 06-01-2007, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xbgs351

I just signed up with AAPT. I only had to speak to one person and he was a real live Australian!

"WHAT!! ............Now that really is very rare in this day and age".....

csv8 · 06-01-2007, 11:17 PM

I am with IPrimus, not bad. my average phone bill, with broadband, 512speed 1gb, is $100 a month

T_Terror · 06-01-2007, 11:55 PM

TIP OF THE DAY: When confronted with the robot-operator on the phone, just jab as many numbers or even punch the phone as a sign of frustration and you will be transfered to an operator who will put you through to where you need to be.

Bad luck to the guy who had installation problems, im an optus install contractor and go to great lengths to get installs going ahead and keeping happy customers, then again i actually get paid for it unlike some optus techs!

One of the tricks is the flyby, where you drive past a customers house quickly and if it looks hard ie. double story, double brick, then you just cann the job and say the customer wasnt home!

TIP OF THE DAY NO.2- on the day of your installation, ring up cust service (just put the phone on speaker while you wait in teh queue...) and ask for an ETA for the installation technician.
That way you will know exactly when theyre coming and they cant get out of it.

schmidty · 07-01-2007, 05:10 AM

I've had nothing but good dealings with optus. Being a business customer there is almost nothing they wont do to keep me. I deal with a department called business retentions regularly, who have the power to do individual deals. I called them last week and told them i wanted a new handset, they asked what i wanted, told them i wanted an n73 for nothing, and wanted my call rate lowered as welll as the flagfall to bring it in line with a competitor. They acknowledged, gave me the handset for nothing, dropped my call rates below the advertised plans to be in line with the competition, and also threw in an extra $50 credit on the end figure of every bill for the next 24 months. Did the same thing 6 months ago. Fantastic, never waited on hold, good follow up, and an answer instantly. I filled out the paperwork and faxed it back while i was still on the phone to the operator. Shopped around and the telstra operator almost fell off her chair when i told her what i pay for mobile services. So while they look after me, they'll continue to get my business.

Telstra on the other hand, nothing but nightmares. When i built the house i'm in at the moment i called up mid december 05 to organise the phone connection as there was no line connected to the block, so was some infastructure work that needed to be done by them before i could have it on to the house. Was told the standard of service was 7 - 10 days. Was going to be finished the house and moved in by mid feb so figured i was well organised. After being puched and shoved from department to department, contractor to contractor and back again, then i went to the TIO and still nightmare continued. After almost 6 months of waiting, i was even set up by a friend and was stitched up by mat tilley on a FOX FM gotcha call pretending he was a indian Telstra operator calling to tell me my phone was not going to be connected! I went bananas!!
Finally got it on, 6 months later, took telstra on and got $2k back in compensation, and as soon as that credit is spent i'll be giving business retentions a call at optus and seeing what they can do for me there.

I've had enough of supporting business and services purely for being australian. I'll spend my hard earned on the people who work hard to look after me. Think its something thats starting to happen a lot. I'm more than happy to pay a premium if it means i get top notch service and no headaches.

DOC · 07-01-2007, 05:31 AM

Due to a tempory lack of funds and overpriced contracts i have reverted to older more reliable means.

I have a cage full of messenger pidgeons, just wish the buggers knew which way to fly.

T_Terror · 07-01-2007, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schmidty

After almost 6 months of waiting, i was even set up by a friend and was stitched up by mat tilley on a FOX FM gotcha call pretending he was a indian Telstra operator calling to tell me my phone was not going to be connected! I went bananas!!
Finally got it on, 6 months later, took telstra on and got $2k back in compensation, and as soon as that credit is spent i'll be giving business retentions a call at optus and seeing what they can do for me there.

I've had enough of supporting business and services purely for being australian. I'll spend my hard earned on the people who work hard to look after me. Think its something thats starting to happen a lot. I'm more than happy to pay a premium if it means i get top notch service and no headaches.

OMG was that you ahaha that was classic im sure you laughed afterwards i know i nearly died from laughter i could hear your head about to explode!
That was one of their good pranks, some are pretty average.

Probably a good thing you got done on the radio as im sure someone from telstra noticed the bad publicity they wouldve gotten, ive never heard of anyone recieving any compensation for late installation let alone $2000!

schmidty · 07-01-2007, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T_Terror

OMG was that you ahaha that was classic im sure you laughed afterwards i know i nearly died from laughter i could hear your head about to explode!
That was one of their good pranks, some are pretty average.

Probably a good thing you got done on the radio as im sure someone from telstra noticed the bad publicity they wouldve gotten, ive never heard of anyone recieving any compensation for late installation let alone $2000!

Because i was not offered an interim phone service i was entitled to around $40 per week for the first 2 weeks, then $200 for every week the connection was delayed beyond the initial 10 days which was the standard of service for that particular job up until i was issued an interim phone (cdma mobile that only works within a pretty tight radius of my house).

And every time telstra was mentioned in the clip, it was beeped out. So no one would have known which company it was for sure. You're right about me being fired up! If i could have reached through the phone there would have been casualties!! I actually called my case manager at Telstra high level complaints and she listened in on the net, thought it was a classic!!

Yellow_Festiva · 08-01-2007, 01:06 AM

I really think there should be standards and laws in regards to how business deals with its customers.

I have sent 2 detailed emails to government departments and never got a response.. i would give anything to be able to find the tool who reads these emails and just decided to answer the questions regarding opening hours and phone numbers....

I was calling optus from overseas on their special customer service number for overseas calls (looks like a standard landline number) and was on hold for half an hour before my phone card credit ran out.... sheesh, imagine if i was in a payphone in the Gobi needing urgent help.......

When you call anyone these days your voice "may be recorded"... would it take THAT much technology to then send you the file of your call as an mp3 by email as soon as you hang up???

When i left Telstra eons ago i asked if there was any fee for cancelling my service, i was in the shop. he asked the reason why i was leaving, and half way through my first sentance he cut me off and just said there will be no fee and called for the next customer.......

Never pay for rubbish service......

**Mechan1k** · 08-01-2007, 02:44 PM

Don't use Telstra for internet ... if you want phone support after 8pm ... forget it ... the just have a messaging service ... pretty poor for Telstra.

At least I can say Optus do answer the phone ... eventually. I work for Optus ... but in corporate internetworking services and backend mobile IP. Thank God I don't have to deal with crappy customers.

It's funny when you hear about some call .... and the customer gets angry and starts swearing ... the operator just terminates the call ... classic.

You'll find the employees of Telstra and Optus get paid a pittance ... so don't expect too much in the way of good service ... if you get good service ... don't complain.

It's the poor plebs in the customer service sections that have to put up with the crap they have to support ... it's the upper management that's the problem ... not the lowly workers at the bottom of the chain.